Pennsylvania was founded in 1681 through a royal land grant to William Penn, the son of the commonwealth's namesake. Before that, between 1638 and 1655, a southeast portion of the state was part of New Sweden, a Swedish colony.

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Pennsylvania, constituent state of the U.S., one of the original 13 American colonies. It is bounded to the north by Lake Erie and New York; to the east by New York and New Jersey; to the south by Delaware, Maryland, and West Virginia, and to the west by West Virginia and Ohio.

In 2026, Pennsylvania will be at the center of it all. From Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, our Commonwealth will host major sporting events and help mark the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding where so much of America’s story began.

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Explore Pennsylvania’s rich history, diverse landscapes, and vibrant cities with everything you need to know about the Keystone State!

Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state located in the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, Maryland to its south, forming the Mason-Dixon Line, West Virginia to its southwest, Ohio to its west, the Canadian province of Ontario to its northwest via Lake Erie, New York to its ...